Oct 19, 2002
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PROVO, Utah (AP) - UNLV defensive back Jamaal Brimmer forced two fumbles, returning one for a touchdown, as UNLV defeated Brigham Young 24-3 Saturday night before the biggest crowd the Rebels have ever won before (62,543).
UNLV (3-4, 1-1 Mountain West) won on the road for the first time this season and left Provo with a victory for the first time since 1981 in breaking the Cougars' 10-game home winning streak and spoiling Homecoming.
With UNLV ahead just 9-3 in the fourth quarter, Brimmer came on a corner blitz to blindside BYU quarterback Matt Berry and force a fumble. Brimmer picked up the ball at the Cougars' 27 and ran untouched to the end zone.
It was one of four turnovers committed by BYU (3-4, 0-2), three of which led to UNLV touchdowns.
Cougar coach Gary Crowton's once high-scoring offense has scored only 12 points in two games against conference opponents. The Cougars lost 59-9 loss last week at Air Force.
The Rebels lead the conference in sacks with 19, and Brimmer has 5?.
The win is Robinson's first over BYU in his 15-year collegiate career. He's in his fourth season at UNLV.
Rebels receiver Earvin Johnson finished with eight catches for 121 yards. His longest, a 34-yarder, set up quarterback Jason Thomas' 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Crowton, who had said before the game he would be more conservative in his fourth-down attempts, converted 2 of 7. The most costly was a fourth-and-1 from the UNLV 9-yard line with 1:50 remaining in the first half. Marcus Whalen was stopped for a 1-yard loss on the play.
Crowton shuttled between freshman quarterbacks - the starter Berry and the option-oriented Lance Pendleton - throughout the first three and a half quarters.
